20 Yellow Drinks to Brighten Up Your Day

Sometimes you're searching for sunshine in a glass. Enter yellow cocktails. With their stunning golden hue, yellow drinks are great for theme parties, showers, or a way to brighten a dreary day. Whatever your reason for mixing a yellow cocktail, rest assured you have plenty of flavors and options.

Delicious Yellow Cocktails

If you're the type of person to enjoy a boozier cocktail or something that's big on flavor while in a stemmed glass, these suit any need.

Lemon Drop Martini

This sweetly tart martini is a popular sour cocktail; after just one sip of this golden drink, you'll know why.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces citron vodka
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce orange liqueur
• Ice
• Lemon slice for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. To prepare, rub the rim of the martini glass or coupe with the lemon wedge.
3. With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
4. In a cocktail shaker, add citron vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and orange liqueur.
5. Shake to chill.
6. Strain into prepared glass.
7. Garnish with lemon slice.

Bee's Knees

Golden as honey, the bee's knees cocktail is perfect for when the summer days are abuzz with sunshine, or even when you need a little extra sun in the winter. Alternatively, try the spicy tequila version, the bee sting cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces gin
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce honey
• Ice
• Lemon wheel for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lemon juice, and honey.
3. Shake well to chill cocktail and dissolve honey.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lemon wheel, if desired.

Alaska

Botanical and sharp, the Alaska martini isn't for the faint of heart.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• ½ ounce yellow chartreuse
• 1-2 dashes orange bitters
• Ice
• Lemon twist for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a Nick and Nora glass or coupe.
2. In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, yellow chartreuse, and orange bitters.
3. Stir rapidly to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lemon twist.

French 75

Don't underestimate the bubbles you find in this cocktail. They'll catch up to you faster than a gold medal sprinter.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce gin
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce simple syrup
• Ice
• Prosecco to top off
• Lemon peel for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a Champagne flute.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Top off with prosecco.
6. Garnish with lemon peel.

Yellow Daisy

Don't be fooled by the name; this drink is anything but soft as a daisy.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 1¼ ounce dry vermouth
• ¾ ounce orange liqueur
• 4-6 drops absinthe
• Ice
• Lemon twist, optional

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, dry vermouth, orange liqueur, and absinthe.
3. Stir rapidly to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lemon twist, if desired.

Monte Cassino

The Monte Cassino is the golden rye brother of the gin-and-chartreuse cocktail, the Last Word.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce rye
• ¾ ounce yellow chartreuse
• ¾ ounce Benedictine
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Ice
• Lemon twist for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rye, yellow chartreuse, Benedictine, and lemon juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lemon twist, if desired.

Cheeky Monkey

An herbaceous and botanical cocktail, the ingredients may look questionable, but the cocktail delivers.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce citron vodka
• ¾ ounce yellow chartreuse
• 1¾ ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3-4 dashes orange bitters
• Ice
• Orange wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, citron vodka, yellow chartreuse, orange juice, and orange bitters.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with orange wedge.

French 77

Enjoy the little sibling of the more potent French 75 -- similar flavors without that similar buzz.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce elderflower
• ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Prosecco top off
• Lemon twist, if desired

Instructions

1. Chill a Champagne flute.
2. In chilled glass, add elderflower and lemon juice.
3. Top off with prosecco.
4. Garnish with lemon twist.

Yellow Jacket

A floral tequila forward cocktail, this will be a game-changer when it comes to how you see tequila.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces reposado tequila
• ¾ ounce elderflower liqueur
• ½ ounce yellow chartreuse
• 2-3 dashes orange bitters
• Ice
• Lemon twist for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a mixing glass, add tequila, elderflower liqueur, yellow chartreuse, and orange bitters.
3. Stir rapidly to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lemon twist.

Yellow Submarine

Give your cocktail a festive summer spin with flavors of rum and banana.

Ingredients

• 1¼ ounces vodka
• ¾ ounce light rum
• ½ ounce banana liqueur
• Ice
• Lime twist for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, rum, and banana liqueur.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lime twist, if desired.

Pineapple Daiquiri

Take your daiquiri to the next level with golden yellow pineapple flavors.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces white rum
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce pineapple juice
• Ice
• Pineapple wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and pineapple juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with pineapple wedge.

To Yellow Cocktails for the Lows

If you prefer your cocktails on ice or in a rocks glass, these are sure to satisfy any requirements.

Yellow Parrot

A beautiful amber cocktail, this checks all the sunny day boxes you look for in a drink.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce absinthe
• 1 ounce yellow chartreuse
• 1 ounce apricot liqueur
• Ice
• Lemon slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, absinthe, yellow chartreuse, and apricot liqueur.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with lemon slice.

Yellow Hammer

A juicy, golden tropical-style cocktail, the yellow hammer is the best summer cocktail you've never heard of.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce vodka
• ¾ ounce rum
• ¾ ounce almond liqueur
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• Ice
• Orange ribbon and cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, rum, almond liqueur, orange juice, and pineapple juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with orange ribbon and cherry.

Yellow Bird

Another tropical-style cocktail, consider this your golden dose of vitamin C.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce gold rum
• ¾ ounce light rum
• ¼ ounce Galliano
• 1½ ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
• ¾ ounce pineapple juice
• ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Orange twist for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gold rum, light rum, Galliano, orange juice, pineapple juice, and lime juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with orange twist.

Penicillin

This classic cocktail may look soft, but it packs a wallop.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Scotch
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce honey
• ½ ounce ginger liqueur
• ¼ ounce single malt scotch
• Ice
• Candied ginger for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add Scotch, lemon juice, honey, ginger liqueur, and single malt scotch.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with candied ginger.

Gold Rush

Consider this golden-yellow drink to be the answer to "I don't like gin, but I like the idea of a bee's knees."

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bourbon
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce honey
• Ice
• Lemon wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, lemon juice, and honey.
2. Shake well to chill cocktail and dissolve honey.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with lemon wheel.

Whiskey Highball

A simple cocktail, this two-ingredient drink adds a gentle sparkle to any occasion.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces whiskey
• Ice
• Ginger ale to top off
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice and whiskey.
2. Top off with ginger ale.
3. Garnish with lime wedge.

Peach Old-Fashioned

Give your old-fashioned an amber touch with a bit of peach flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bourbon
• ¾ ounce peach liqueur
• ½ ounce peach syrup
• 2-3 dashes orange bitters
• 3-4 dashes aromatic bitters
• Ice
• Peach slice and thyme sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In a mixing glass, add bourbon, peach liqueur, peach syrup, orange bitters, and aromatic bitters.
2. Stir rapidly to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with peach slice and thyme sprig.

Golden Margarita

Take your margarita from a classic green hue to a stunning golden color.

Ingredients

• 1¾ ounce gold tequila
• 1 ounce orange liqueur
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce agave
• Ice
• Lemon slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gold tequila, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and agave.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with lemon slice.

All Abuzz

Like bees for pear blossoms, you'll be all abuzz for this cocktail after just one sip.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces pear vodka
• ¾ ounce orange liqueur
• ½ ounce honey
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Pear slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, pear vodka, orange liqueur, and honey.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with club soda.
5. Garnish with pear slice.

Yellow Drinks for Any Occasion

Yellow cocktails are a great way to dress up any party; after all, who doesn't love a touch of gold? If you're looking for a cocktail that's your favorite color or to fit a theme, you can't go wrong with any of these cocktails.